Lifting device



March 28, 1939. E. R BARRETT .#2,151,886 l LIFTlNG DEVICE l Filed oct. 2o, 19:57 @sheetssheet 1 March 2s, 1939. E, R, BARRETT 2,151,886

- LIFTING DEVICE Filed oct. 2o, 1937 4shee1s-shee1 2 9" M' A TTORNE YS,

March 2s, 1939. E R, BARRETT' LIFTING DEVICE Filed oct. 2o, 195'? 4 sheets-sheet :s

a Q M EM w N M T. T

-March2s,1 939. E. Rl BARRETT l 2,151,886

Filed Oct. 2o, 1937 4 sheets-sheet 4 Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE IJFTING DEVICE Edward R. Barrett, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Gar Wood Industries, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation f Michigan This invention relates to a lifting device and particularly relates to a lifting device for unloading solid material from a container, such as a truck body.

One of the primary objects of the presentinvention is to provide a mechanically operated means by which solid material, such as coal, contained within a receptacle, such as a truck body, may be raised and discharged from the receptacle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a lifting device whereby solid material may be readily discharged from a truck body and in being discharged may be distributed by gravity into a chute or bin.

I Another object of the present invention is to provide a lifting device for lifting and discharging solid material from a truck body, which may be operated from a power take-off of the vehicle engine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lifting device which is secured to the rear face of the tail gate of a tiltable truck body for lifting and discharging solid material from the truck body.

Another object of the present invention is to providea lifting device for lifting and discharging solid material from a truck body of such a rugged character that in operation clogging of the material being raised is prevented.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, the drawings relating thereto, an'd from the claims hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings in which like numerals are used to designate like parts in the several views throughout:

Figure 1' is a fragmentary, side-elevational view of a vehicle truck and truck body embodying the features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, rear elevational view, of

the structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary,` broken, vertical, crosssectional view of the lifting structure illustrated in Fig. 1;

` Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view 'similar to Fig. 3, illustrating a modied embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, rear elevational 'view with parts broken away, showing parts in crosssection of a modified form of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 6--6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 'I is a fragmentary, vertical, cross-sectional view, looking in a direction the same as thatv of Figs. 2 and 5, of a preferred form of the present invention;

Fig.` 8 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 o f Fig. '7; and 5 Fig. 9 is an elevational view of one of the vanes of the structure illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8.

Referring to the drawings, and referring particularly-to Figs. 1 to 3, a vehicle body I0 of the trailer type is illustrated, having wheels II at the 10 rear thereof. The front of the body I8 is connected to the" rear end of an automotive truck I2 through a suitable universal connection I4 which has associated therewith a suitable hoisting power unit I6, by which the front of the body I0 may be 16 raised to tilt the body about its rear wheels II.

The vehicle body I0 is provided with a sloping rearwall, which has an end gate I8 pivotally secured to the rear wall by pivots 20 at the sides and adjacent the top of the rear wall. The end gate 20 I8 may be normally secured to the rear wall by means of suitable clamps, not shown, which may be released to permit the end gate I8 to pivot about the pivot 2D.

The body I Il is adapted to contain a solid ma- 25 terial such as coal I9, which is to be lifted and discharged from the body and conveyed to the point of discharge, such as a coal chute or bin. In order to convey the coal from the vehicle, an upstanding conduit 22,' which is substantially rec- 30 tangular in cross-sectional shape, is secured to the end gate I8, preferably at substantially the transverse center of the end gate. The conduit 22 has an inlet opening 24 disposed above the floor 26 of the body I0 in spaced relation thereto. The 35 conduit 22 is curved at its upper end and has a downwardly directed outlet opening 28.

The truck body I0 may be progressively tilted asv the discharge progresses so that the .coal I9 flows toward the rear end of the 'body I0; and the 40 coal is forced upwardly into 'the conduit 22 through the inlet opening 24 -by means of an oscillating lifting member 32. In the embodiment illustrated, the lifting member 32 has a solid liftirg face, a curved wall member 34, and a rear wall 45 member 36. It is to be understood, however, that the lifting member 32 may take other forms, such example, to the rear wall 36. A transverse brace 44 is also secured to the rear face of the conduit member 22 above the lifting member 32. Spaced brackets 46 are suitably secured to the brace 44 and to the rear face of the conduit 22, which provide a support for a hydraulic cylinder 48 on a pivot 50. The cylinder 48 carries a piston having a rod 52 which extends downwardly and which is pivoted at 54 to the plate members 42.

The power for operating the rod 52 may be supplied by a suitable power take-oir of the truck in a manner such as that disclosed in the copending application of Edward L. Barrett, Serial No. 177,451, filed December 1, 1937. Fluid is delivered from a pump driven by the truck engine or the power device i6, through a suitable conductor and by suitable valves, for automatically eifecting the oscillation of the lifting member 32.

The lifting member 32 is normally in its outermost position with the piston rod 52 raised and. upon the down power stroke of the rod 52 the lifting member 32 is caused to oscillate clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 3, and moves through an opening 55 in the rear face of the conduit member 22. The coal against the lifting face of the lifting member 32 is thus supported and raised by the lifting face and moved upwardly through the inlet opening 24 into the conduit 22. A transversely extending guide plate 56 is provided adjacent the inner edge of the opening 24 for assisting in guiding the coal into the conduit 22.

To keep the coal |9 from backing down through the conduit 22, complementary valve members 58 and 60, having cross-sectional shapes substantially that of segments of a circle, are pivotally mounted about pivots 62 and 64, respectively. A cover member 66, complementary in shape to the shape of the valve member 58, is secured to the inner face of the conduit 22 within the vehicle l for shielding the valve member 58 from the material within the body.

The members 58 and 60 are normally urged to the position shown by the broken lines in Fig. 3,

so as to close the conduit 22 and prevent the downward passage of coal therefrom. Arm members 68 and 10 are secured to the outer ends of the pivot membersl 62 and 64 and are connected at their uppermost ends by coil springs 12. The coil springs 12 with the arms 68 and 10 thus constantly urge the valve members 58 and 60 to their closed position, but permit opening of the valve members against the action of the springs 12. Thus, when the coal I9 is raised upwardly through the inlet opening 24, the coal itself forces the valve membersv 58 and 60 apart and permits the lifting of the coal within the conduit 22. The rear face of the valve member 60 is left open so as to permit the free movement of the member 60 to its outermost position, as indicated by the full lines in Fig. 4.

'Ihe intermittent oscillation of the lifting member 32 thus raises the coal into the conduit members, past the valve members 58 and 60. Upon downward movement of the liftingimember 32, the valve members 58 and 60 are moved to their closed position by 'means of the spring 12 and thus support the coal within the conduit member 22. The continued shoving of coal into the conduit by the lifting member 32 thus raises the coal upwardly through the conduit and when the conduit is iilled, the coal discharges through the outlet opening 28.

In order to direct the discharge of the coal from the outlet opening 28 to a suitable point, such as bin or coal chute, an elongated discharge conduit member I4 is pivotally mounted in telescopic relation to the conduit member 22 adjacent the outlet 28. A bracket 16 may be secured to the under surface of the conduit member '|4 and is pivotally mounted by the pivot 18 to a bracket 80 secured to the conduit member 22.

In the modified embodiment of the structure illustrated in Fig. 4, instead of supporting the entire column of material by a single pair of complementary valve members 58 and 60, a plurality of the valve members 58 and 60 are provided in spaced relation along the length of the upstanding portion of the conduit member 22. Thus, each of the pairs of valve members supportsonly a portion of the column of material thereabove and more effectively prevents the downward return of material from the conduit.

Referring to Figs. and 6, a modified embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in which the conduit 22 has an inlet opening 82 disposed above the floor 26 adjacent the rear of the body l0. A housing 84 is disposed below the conduit 22 and is joined to the conduit 22 by a curved portion 86 so as to eliminate corners and facilitate the flow of the material into and through the conduit 22. The lower wall of the housing 84 is also disposed beneath the floor 26 and is connected to the floor by a curved portion 88 so that the material from the body I0 may iiow into the housing. End walls 89 complete the housing; and a wall member 90 extends within the body I0 and terminates above the iioor to rprovide an inlet opening 92 into the space within the housing 84.

To lift the solid material such as coal into the conduit 22 for discharge from the truck I0, a cylindrical member 94, having end walls 96, is mounted within the housing 84. A drive shaft 98 extends through openings in the end walls 96 and is fixed to the end walls for rotating the cylinder.

A plurality of reciprocating lifting varies 99 extend through slots in the cylindrical member 94 and are substantially the width of the cylinder. The varies 99 are supported and guided by guide plates |0| mounted on the end walls 96 at each end of the vane. The vanes 99 are thus adapted to slide radially outwardly and inwardly within the spaces between the guide members |0| so as to engage and lift the solid material and force the solid material through the inlet opening 82 upwardly through the conduit 22.

To control the extent and timing of movement of the varies 99, cam followers |02 are fixed to the opposite side edges of the varies and extend through elongated slots |04 in the end walls 96. Similar cam plates |06 are fixed to the housing end walls 89 and have a continuous cam track |08 which receives the cam followers |02 therein. The cam track |08 is so designed that as the cylinder 94 rotates in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 6, the vanes 99 as they approach the inlet opening 92 are caused to move radially outwardly and engage the solid. material passed through the opening 92 and lift the solid material upwardly into the conduit 22. The vanes 99, after reaching their outermost position, which is a position slightly to the left of a vertical through the shaft 98, viewing Fig. 6, -are caused to rapidly move radially inwardly so that jamming of the coal or other solid material against the curved wall portion 36 is prevented. The vanes 99 are then drawn inwardly so that they are substantially flush with the outer surface of the cylindrical member 94 and remain in this position until they cylindrical member 94 is driven continuously in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 6, by means including hydraulic cylinders which are pivotally mounted on pivots ||2. The pivots ||2 are supported by brackets ||4 which in turn are mounted on the outer face of the end gatel I8. A piston is slidably received within each ofn thev cylinders and has a downwardly directed piston rod ||6 to which a rack ||8 is secured at the lower end of each rod. Each rack I8 is guided within space d guide members |20 and is adapted to mesh A 1- shaft 98 and thus drive the cylinder 94. The

two halves of the clutch |24 are urged into engagement by a spring |26 which is received over each end of the drive shaft and held in place by means of a collar |28.

Th :uuid for actuating the rods ne and the racks 8 may be supplied to each of the cylinders. ||0 in the same manner as described above in connection with the cylinder 48. In the embodiment illustrated, the power stroke of the rod ||6 is on the upstroke so that upon the upstroke the rack 8 engages the pinion |22 and causes rotation of the drive shaft 98 and therefore rotates the cylinder 94. rSo that the operation of the cylinder 94 may be continuous, the two cylinders ||0 are so timed relative to each other that one of the cylinders is in its up power stroke while the other cylinder is in its down idle stroke. It is pointed out that considerable kpower may be provided by the hydraulic cylinders ||0 through the rack ||8 and pinion |22, and the parts are of such a rugged nature, that in the event that the materials being discharged clog within any of the passages, suiiicient power may be applied to break up the clogged condition even to the extent of crushing the material.

Referring to Figs. 7 to 9, a preferred embodiment of the invention isl illustrated in which the conduit 22 is disclosed adacent the rear face of the truck body, as in the embodiment previously described. A ousing 84, as in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. and 6,fis disposed below the conduit 22, and isjoined to the conduit 22 by a' curved portion 86 so as to eliminate corners and facilitate the flow of material into and through the conduit 22. The lower wall of the housing 64 is also disposed beneath the floor 26 and is connected to the floor 26 by means of a transversely extending relief wing member |32. iThe wing'` member |32 is pivotallymounted to theV urged inwardly. jI'he sides of thehousing 84 areV closed by substantially circular side members |40 which have hub portions |42. The end members |40 are mounted and secured against rotation by means of clips |44 which are suitably fixed to the conduit member 22. Pin members |46 are fixed to the end members |40 and are slidably received through openings |48 in the clips |44 so that the end membersk |40 are ,free

to slide inwardly upon the pins |46 but are prevented from rotating.

A substantially cylindrical rotor member, generally indicated at |50, is disposed within the housing in spaced relation to the walls of the housing 84 so as to provide a discharge conduit |52 which communicates with the conduit 22. A transversely extending guard member |54 is xed to the inner wall of the conduit member 22 above the rotor |50 and denes an inlet opening |56 through which the material from the truck body passes. member |58 is suitably mounted to the guard member |54 and is disposed within the housing 84 above the rotor |50v to define a portion of the conduit |52 for guiding the material in its passage into the discharge conduit 22.

The cylindrical rotor |50 is split along a substantially center line |60 and complementary bosses |62 and |64 are provided on the two halves of the rotor at spaced intervals therearound on the inner surface ofthe rotor for securing the Another transversely extending wall two halves together. 'Ihe arrangement is prefl erably such that one of the halves of the rotor overlaps one of the bosses, as indicated in Fig. 7 so as to provide a rugged construction. Suitable pins |66 are provided for removably attaching the bosses |62 and |64 together.

The rotor |50 is provided with outwardly extending tubular portions |68 at substantially its center which are rotatably received within the hubs |42 for rotatably mounting therotor |50 within the housing. .The tubular portions |68 are provided with annular shoulders |69. Spiral springs |10 are mounted in surrounding relation Each ofthe vanes is formed as a unit so that with the three vanes illustrated six ends are provided which extend beyond the outer 'periphery t of the rotor for engaging in lifting the solid material. The vanes |12 and |16 are similar in shape to each other; and each of these vanes is provided vwith a connecting web portion |80 adjacent one side of each vane. The vane |14 is substantially I shaped, as indicated in Fig. 9, and is provided with a substantially central connecting web |82. Each of the vanes crosses the center of the rotor when the vanes are in position within the rotor and by the construction of the vanes they may be intertted by placing the vane |14 at the center and by reversing the position of the vanes |12 and 16. By constructing the six lifting portions of the vanes in three pieces it is possible to provide the elements with suiilcient strength 'essential to this kind of heavy duty work. Each of the vanes has xedtheretocam followers in the form of rollers |84 which are adapted to roll upon the outer peripheral edges of eccentrics |86. Each eccentric |86 is fixedly secured to a stub shaft |88 which extends outwardly through the openings in the tubular portions |68 of the rtor |50. In order to prevent rotation of the shaft |88 and therefore x the eccentrics |86 against rotation, arm'members |90 are fastened to the outer ends of the shafts |88 CTI which are fastened by straps |92 or the like to the rear wall of the vehicle.

Drive means similar to those disclosed in connection with Figures 5 and 6 are provided for rotating the rotor |58. I'hese drive means include pinions |22 which are mounted for free rotation about the shafts |88. The outer ends of the tubular portions |88 may form one-half of a one-way clutch which is adapted to be engaged by the other half |24 of the one-Way clutch which in turning is fixed to the pinions |22. Spiral springs |94 are mounted about the shafts |88 and engage the pinions |22 for normally urging the complementary halves of the clutches into engagement. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, the racks ||8 are so arranged relative to the pinions so that the rotor is rotating in counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 8; and the solid material such as coal which is contained within the truck body flows down through the inlet opening |56 into the housing 84. As the rotor |50 rotates in a counterclockwise direction the rollers |84 on their respective vanes follow the eccentrics |86 so that each vane as it approaches the inlet opening |58 is moved radially outwardly. This vane thus engages and pushes before it the solid material, forcing the solid material to be moved through the conduit |52 and into and through the conduit 22. In the event of clogging at the entrance to the housing the relief wing |32 will give slightly which will thus relieve the clogging and permit the rotation of the rotor |58 together with the vanes. The solid material is thus forced upwardly through the conduit 22 and discharged at the upper end of the conduit 22 where it may be distributed by gravity as disclosed above.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiments of the invention described Without departing from the spirit and substance of the invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A material lifting device for a truck body comprising, in combination, an end gate on said body, an upstanding conduit member on said end gate having an inlet opening disposed above the floor of said truck body, means for engaging a small portion of said material at said inlet opening and raising it and the material already in said conduit, and means associated with said conduit preventing the return of the material therefrom. e 2. A material lifting device for a truck body comprising, in combination, an end gate on said body, an upstanding conduit member on said end gate having an inlet opening disposed above the floor of said truck body and communicating with the interior of the truck body, a movable lifting member disposed adjacent the inlet opening, means for moving said lifting member toward and from said inlet opening within said body to thereby force material from within said body upwardly through said inlet opening into said conduit, and means associated with said conduit preventing the return of material therefrom.

3. A material lifting device for a truck body comprising, in combination, an end gate on said body, an upstanding conduit member on said end gate having an inlet opening disposed above the floor of said truck body and communicating with the interior of the truck body, a movable lifting member disposed adjacent the inlet opening, means for moving said lifting member toward and from said inlet opening to charge said conduit with material from said body, and means associated with said conduit normally closing said conduit against the passage of material therethrough, said last named means being freely movable to permit passage of material therethrough upon movement of said lifting member toward said inlet opening.

4. A material lifting device for a truck body comprising, in combination, an end gate on said body, an upstanding conduit member on said end gate having an inlet opening disposed above the floor of said truck body, an oscillating lifting member disposed adjacent the inlet opening and adjacent the floor of the body, means for moving said lifting member toward and from said inlet opening to charge said conduit with material from said body, complementary cut-off members movably mounted within said conduit, said members being movable to open and closed positions, and means for normally urging said members to their closed position.

5. A material lifting device for a truck body comprising, in combination, an end gate on said body, an upstanding conduit member on said end gate having an inlet opening communicating with the interior of the truck body and disposed above the floor of said truck body, the upper end of said upstanding conduit being curved to provide a downwardly directed outlet opening adjacent the top of said upstanding conduit member, a downwardly extending conduit member having a curved portion complementary in curvature to the curvature of the upstanding conduit mounted in telescopic and pivotal relation to the outlet end of said upstanding conduit member. and means for automatically forcing material from within said body upwardly through said upstanding conduit through the outlet of said upstanding conduit and into said downwardly ,extending conduit.

6. A material lifting device for a truck body comprising, in combination, an end gate on said body, an upstanding conduit member on said end gate having an inlet opening disposed above the floor of the truck body, an oscillatinglift, ing member disposed adjacent the inlet opening and adjacent the floor of said body, penumatic means for moving said lifting member toward and from said inlet opening to charge said conduit with material from said body, complementary segmental cut-off members pivotally mounted within said conduit, said members being movable to close said conduit against the passage of material therethrough and being movable to open said conduit for the passage of material therethrough, and means normally urging said cutoff members to their closed positions.

7. A material lifting device for a tiltable truck body comprising, in combination, an end gate on said body, an upstanding conduit member on said end gate having an inlet opening disposed above the floor of said truck body, a movable lifting member disposed adjacent the inlet opening, means for moving said lifting member toward and from said inlet opening to charge said conduit with material from said body, means associated with said conduit normally closing said conduit against the passage of material therethrough, said last named means being freely movable to permit passage of material through said conduit upon movement of said lifting member toward said inlet opening, and means for tilting said truck body.

8. A material lifting device for a truck body comprising, in combination, an end gate on said ing said last named means.

9.` A material lifting device for a truck body comprising, in combination, an end gate on said body, an upstanding conduit member on said end gate having an inlet opening, a housing disposed beneath said conduit and communicating with said conduit and with the interior of saidbody, and lifting means disposed withinv said housing, said lifting means including a cylindrical member having radially reciprocating vanes associated therewith, said vanes extending through openings in said cylindrical member for radial movement outwardly therebeyond, means for rotating saidcylindrical member, and means for reciprocating said vanes to move said vanes into engagement with the material' within said body to thereby raise said material into and through said conduit.

10. A material lifting device for a truck body comprising, in combination, an end gate on said body, an upstanding conduit member on said end gate having an inlet opening, a housing disposed beneath said conduit and communicating with said conduit and with the interior of said body, and lifting means disposed within said housing, said lifting means including a cylindrical member mounted in spaced relation to the walls of the housing to define a discharge conduit, diametrically extending reciprocating vanes mounted within said cylindrical member, said vanes extending through openings in said-cylin drical member for radial movement youtwardly therebeyond, means for rotating said cylindrical member and means for reciprocating said vanes to move said vanes into engagement with the material from said body to thereby raise said material into and through said upstandng conduit member.

11. A material lifting device for a truck body, comprising,I in combination, an end gate on said body, an upstanding conduit member on said end gate having an inlet opening, a housing disposed beneath said conduit and communicating with said conduit and with the interior of said body, a relief member positioned between the edge of said housing adjacent said body, means resiliently urging said relief member inwardly of said housing, and lifting means disposed within said housing, said lifting means including a cylindrical member having radially reciprocating vanes associated therewith, said vanes extending through openings in said cylindrical member for radial movement outwardly therebeyond, means for rotating said cylindrical member and means 

